


I Can Do That

by Fullmoon



Category: Leverage
Genre: Gen, My First Work in This Fandom, Parker feels lost without a family and doesn't realize what's right in front of her, Sophie/Parker if you squint, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-04-28
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1537925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fullmoon/pseuds/Fullmoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I know you can take care of yourself Parker, you were doing it for years before we became a team.”</p>
<p>Parker looked up at Sophie. Her eyes were wide like a child’s and red rimmed with tears. </p>
<p>“I don’t like being alone.”</p>
<p>“You’re not alone Parker. You have us.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Can Do That

Sophie took a step towards Parker, slow and hesitant, as if the younger girl was a scared animal waiting to run away. Parker just looked defeated, lost. She looked everywhere but Sophie’s eyes and nervously tugged on the hem of her simple gray tee shirt. 

“Parker?” Sophie called when she was a few steps away from the girl. She turned her head a bit to the side and saw the classic markings of a bruise forming on the thief’s jaw. “Honey, are you okay?” 

Parker looked at Sophie then, almost in shock. “I-I’m fine.” She stuttered. “I can take care of myself!”   
 The sudden outburst startled Sophie and gave Parker enough room to run out the back door of the bar the team had gathered in after the last successful job. 

“Park-“ Sophie’s words were cut off with the slamming of the door. 

The boys finally caught up to the situation. “What’s going on?” Nate asked in a hushed tone. Hardison and Eliot gave her expecting looks. 

“I- I don’t know. She just ran off.”

“Was it something with the job?” Hardison asked. “She was fine just a minute ago.” Eliot huffed in agreement.

“I think she got hurt…” Sophie trailed off, walking over to the door. “I’m… I think I’ll check on her. You guys stay here and finish up.”

—

Sophie finally found their youngest teammate under a willow tree in the town’s grave yard. 

Parker didn’t look surprised when she looked up to see Sophie standing over her, a blanket and hot chocolate in hand. She sat down next to the girl that seemed to pulled herself in tighter, hiding from the world.

“Honey, you look like you’ve been crying.” Sophie started, throwing the blanket over the young girl and rubbing the stiffness out of her shoulders. She guided the cup of hot chocolate into Parker’s hands and coaxed it to her lips. “Drink this, you’ll feel better.” Sophie promised.

Parker’s hands were trembling, but she sighed as the drink passed her lips and warmed her throat. 

“I can take care of myself.” She whispered again, a broken sound falling from her lips. 

“I know you can.”

“But…”

“I know you can take care of yourself Parker, you were doing it for years before we became a team.”

Parker looked up at Sophie. Her eyes were wide like a child’s and red rimmed with tears. 

“I don’t like being alone.”

“You’re not alone Parker. You have us.”  “But we’re just a team. Teammates I mean. I… I like it when we go on jobs and stuff. I love dinner at Nate’s and when Eliot cooks or beats up bad guys for me. I like it when Hardison makes me new toys and rappelling gear. I like the way you teach me things.”

Sophie looked confused. “Well, if you feel that way, why do you think you’re alone?”

“I don’t have a… a family.”

Sophie looked at the young girl and tried to imagine a way to explain what they had as a team. Parker had been alone for so long, and the people she had been with had only used her, treated her like garbage, destroyed the childhood innocence of such a sweet girl.    
“Parker… what do you think a family is?”

Parker looked up into the branches of the willow before answering. “Well, it’s a mom and a dad and their kids, I guess.”

“Hmm… Well did you know that there are different kinds of families?” Sophie smiled at the girl’s confused expression. “A family can be a mom and her daughter or two dads and a grandmother. It can be all sorts of things as long as the people together love one another.” She leaned in to hug Parker’s shoulders. “Do you understand? We are your family. Everyone was worried when you ran off, especially when you didn’t tell us you were hurt.” She poked the bruise on Parker’s chin gently to prove her point. “The boys are back at the pub waiting for you to come home.” 

“Really?”

“Of course.” Sophie smiled. 

“But… everyone just leaves after the jobs. I’m by myself again…”

“Do you want us to stay?” Sophie asked.

“I don’t know…” Parker was hesitant. 

“Whatever you want, we’ll give to you. That’s what families do. We care about each other.” A slight mist started to fall over the two girls, the willow branches doing little to shelter them from the elements. “We should get back home. Get you patched up.”

Sophie stood up and reached her hand for Parker. She took is nervously and was pulled into a tight hug. “I love you, Parker. You have to tell me when you’re hurting, on the inside and the outside.” Sophie gently kissed the forming bruise on the thief’s jaw and laid a hand on the girl’s chest, just above her heart. 

“I- Okay…” Parker stammered. “I can do that.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in a little under 20 minutes so if you see any blatant errors or just horribleness, let me know in the comments and I will fix it ASAP. This is also my first time writing for Leverage and it took a completely different turn. I wanted more raunchy stuff, but alas, this is what came out. Complete fluff bunny. The characterization is a bit off, but I think it will work better when I write more. This is purely a spur-of-the-moment-netflix-marathon-oh-my-gosh-I-miss-these-guys-so-much fanfic. 
> 
> Enjoy!


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